Admission arrangements for children starting September 2025:

Children in catchment area:

All children who have applied before 15th January will be eligible for a place so long as there is space within the school’s admission number. If there are more applications than there are places available, then eligibility will be determined in accordance with the following scheme of priorities: 

• Children in care, and children who were in care but have been adopted or are subject to a residency order or special guardianship order (“previously in care”), including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted 

• Then children who live in the school’s catchment zone in the following priority order: 

• Children who already have older brothers or sisters (including half or step siblings living in the same household) at the school when they are due to start school. If there are more children with older brothers or sisters at the school than there are places available, we will give priority to children with the youngest brothers or sisters at the school. We will also treat a brother or sister at a corresponding junior school as a sibling. Where there is more than one applicant with a sibling in the same year group, priority will be given to those children who live nearest to the school. We measure distances from the child’s home to the school gate nearest to the child’s home using the shortest road route, unless it is possible to use a footpath which we consider to be a safe walking route, using the Council’s computerised routing system. 

• Children who live nearest to the school. We measure distances from home to the school gate nearest to the child’s home using the shortest road route, unless it is possible to use a footpath which we consider to be a safe walking route, using the Council’s computerised routing system.

Children out of catchment area:

If places remain available, eligibility for children who do not live in the school’s catchment area will be determined in accordance with the following scheme of priorities. 

• Children who already have older brothers or sisters (including half or stepbrothers and sisters living in the same household) at the school when they are due to start school. If there are more children with older brothers or sisters at the school than there are places available, we will give priority to children with 7 the youngest brothers or sisters at the school. We will also treat a brother or sister at a corresponding junior school as a sibling. Where there is more than one applicant with a sibling in the same year group, priority will be given to those children who live nearest to the school. We measure distances from home to the school gate nearest to the child’s home using the shortest road route, unless it is possible to use a footpath which we consider to be a safe walking route, using the Council’s computerised routing system. 

• Pupils who live nearest to the school. We measure distances from home to the school gate nearest to the child’s home using the shortest road route, unless it is possible to use a footpath which we consider to be a safe walking route, using the Council’s computerised routing system.

If places remain available at the school after all “on time” applicants have been allocated at the initial allocation point, places will then be allocated to late applications received after 15th January, in accordance with the policy criteria, up to the school’s admission number.

In Year Applications:

‘In year’ applications are those made during the school year into any year group, other than at the normal point of entry (i.e. the normal admission round). This will include applications from parents and carers of children moving into Wirral from another Local Authority area, moving within Wirral, or seeking to transfer to an alternative school for other reasons.

Applications for Mendell Primary School must be made on a common Transfer Form which can be submitted online via the Wirral Admissions Portal or downloaded from the Wirral School Admissions website. The form allows parents to state up to three school preferences ranked in priority order.

• Opted-In schools should not deal with transfer application forms. Any forms received by schools should be forwarded to the Mainstream Admissions team. The Council coordinates all parental requests for in-year transfers and placements unless schools have opted out of in-year transfers.

• Parents should contact the headteacher of their child’s current school prior to application to discuss their request.

• Additional information may be required before an application can be processed: this could include proof of residence; passports/visas; PEP for looked after children and so on. Mainstream Admissions team will then forward the application to their current and preferred school(s). Requests for transfer in Y6 other than moves from outside Wirral will be discouraged on educational grounds, but parents have the ultimate right to proceed with the request.

• The Mainstream Admissions team will forward the documentation/online application notification to their current and preferred school(s).

• The Council will arrange for children in Years 1 and 2 to start at a community or voluntary controlled primary school in a similar way as Foundation 2 (Reception) age children. The appropriate year group is determined by the chronological age of the child.

• Key Stage 1 – The Council will offer children places at their catchment school as long as this will not bring the class size to more than 30, and if the Council cannot offer an alternative school place within two miles of the parents home address. The Council will agree a place in an out-of-zone school as long as: i) there is room within the admission number; and ii) there are not already 30 children in the class. Where a school, which is below its admission number, has organised its Key Stage 1 into classes of 30 and the only way to admit another child would require the admission authority to take Qualifying Measures (that is, it would require the school to provide additional resources in terms of staff and accommodation), these are grounds on which the Council or other admission authority may refuse an application.

• Key Stage 2 – Children are usually entitled to a place at their catchment school even though the school may be on or above its admission number. However, where there is a serious concern, for example about health and safety, there may be circumstances in which a Key Stage 2 place may be refused at a catchment school. The Council will agree a place in an out-of-zone school as long as there is room within the admission number.

• Infant Class Size limit exceptions There are a limited number of exceptions to the Infant Class Size limit of 30. These children remain an excepted pupil for the time they are in an infant class, or until the class numbers fall back to the infant class size limit. They are: 

  • Children with statements of special educational need (SEN) or Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) admitted outside the normal admission round 

  • Looked after children and previously looked after children, including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted 

  • Children admitted because of a procedural error made by any admission authority in the original application process 

  • Children admitted following an appeal upheld by an independent appeals panel 13 

  • Children who move into a catchment area outside the normal admission round for whom there is no other school place within a shortest walking distance of 2 miles 

  • Children of UK service personnel admitted outside the normal admission round who move into a catchment area 

  • Twins and children from multiple births when one of the siblings is the 30th child admitted 

  • Children with SEN who are normally taught in an SEN unit attached to the school or who are registered with a special school, but attend some infant classes within a mainstream school

Admission Appeals:

If your child is refused a place at any school, you will receive a letter from the Local Authority. This will explain why your child has been refused a place and which options are available to you.

Appeals for primary schools

You should submit your appeal form by 19 May 2025 to ensure they are heard before the end of the summer term. If this deadline is missed they may not be heard until September or October.

In-year appeals

Appeals resulting from in-year admission applications will be heard on a date to be arranged within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged with the Authority.

To make an appeal you must complete the School Appeals Form by following this link: